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47 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”

Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”

Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and evil. They have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.

11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their families.

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Joseph’s Family Settles in Goshen

47 After this, Joseph went to inform Pharaoh. “My father and brothers have come here from Canaan,”[a] he said, “and they’ve come with their flocks, herds, and everything else they have. I settled them in the Goshen territory!” He brought along five of his brothers to present before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What are your occupations?”

“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our ancestors. We’ve come to live for a while[b] in this region, since there is no pasture back in Canaan[c] for your servants’ flocks. May your servants please live in the Goshen territory?”

Then Pharaoh replied to Joseph, “Now that your father and your brothers have come to you, Egypt[d] is at your disposal,[e] so settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land! Let them live in the Goshen territory. If you learn that any of them are especially skilled, put them in charge of my livestock.”

Later, Joseph brought his father Jacob to Pharaoh and introduced him. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. “How old are you?”[f] Pharaoh asked Jacob.

“I’m 130 years old,” Jacob replied. “My years have turned out to be few and unpleasant, but I haven’t yet reached the age my ancestors did during their travels on earth.”[g] 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and then left the throne room.[h]

11 Joseph settled his father and brothers, assigning them their own land in the best part of Egypt (in the territory of Rameses), just as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, proportionate to the number of young children.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 47:1 Lit. from the land of Canaan, and so throughout the chapter
  2. Genesis 47:4 The Heb. lacks for a while
  3. Genesis 47:4 The Heb. lacks back in Canaan
  4. Genesis 47:6 Lit. from the land of Egypt, and so throughout the chapter
  5. Genesis 47:6 Lit. is before you
  6. Genesis 47:8 Lit. How many years have you lived?
  7. Genesis 47:9 The Heb. lacks on earth
  8. Genesis 47:10 Lit. left his presence